Judge to Decide if UPMC Has Any Employees

A federal judge says she's likely to put on hold a civil rights lawsuit over Pittsburgh's challenge to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's tax-exempt status.

Meanwhile, in the related state case, attorneys wrangled Monday over whether UPMC has employees.

The city sued UPMC in earlier this year, saying the medical center shouldn't be treated like a charity because it doesn't act like one.

In Common Pleas Court on Monday, UPMC argued that it employs no one, but subsidiaries such as Children's Hospital, Magee-Womens Hospital, and UPMC Presbyterian have employees. A city attorney disagreed.

Common Pleas Judge R. Stanton Wettick postponed the hearing, allowing the city to draft an amended complaint and UPMC to respond.

UPMC had taken the state case to federal court, arguing that it raises constitutional questions.